William B. Jones depositions 1852-1853 for Revolutionary War military pensions
I haven’t found the pension records from the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812 for any of my ancestors. But, when I started looking at the pension records of other men in the community, I discovered my family gave a few depositions in those records, like this one. Until I found this deposition, the last record I had for William B. Jones was the 1850 Census. This William was married to Ann Beasley, and was the father of James B. Jones and Zachariah Jones. They lived in the area of present day Bracey, on the north side of Nellie Jones Rd.
William didn’t “sign his mark”, this is an affidavit with a seal, and the handwriting is different than the Justice of the Peace and Clerk. So I do believe this is William’s actual signature in 1852:
Here is my transcription of the deposition, followed by an image of the record.
State of Virginia
Mecklenburg County
This day William B. Jones of the County and State aforesaid aged Eighty five years personally appeared before me a justice of the peace and made oath to the following affidavit-that he was well acquainted with John Carroll of Mecklenburg County Virginia who was a soldier in the revolutionary war with Great Britain, that he enlisted in the said County and state and served for a long time in the war. I don’t know how long, but it was a considerable time- that the said John Carroll was lawfully married to Ann Crowder, both of whom are now dead- that Nancy Patterson formerly Nancy Carroll who is now about Seventy years of age and the wife of John Patterson of the County of Chatham in the State of North Carolina is a lawful Child of the said John Carroll and Ann his wife
Given under my hand this 2nd day of September 1852
William B. Jones
Mecklenburg County to wit
This day William B. Jones subscribed and swore to the above affidavit. Given under my hand this 2nd day of September 1852.
W.T. Pennington J.P.
Virginia to wit I Richard B. Baptist Clerk of the county court of Mecklenburg County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that William T. Pennington who has signed his name to the above affidavit is and was at the time of signing the same an acting Justice of the peace duly commissioned & Qualified, In witness whereof I hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of the court at offices this 3rd September 1852
Richard B. Baptist
William B. Jones deposition about Revolutionary War in Mecklenburg, VA
This is the second deposition of my ancestor William B. Jones for John Carroll. I love this deposition for several reasons: He talks about growing up in the same “neighborhood” as John Carroll, going to the same school as John Carroll, and that his brother John Jones was serving with John Carroll. William vividly remembers his brother John Jones and John Carroll were soldiers in the Revolutionary War because of an event that happened while he was helping bring horses to them at their headquarters at Taylor’s Ferry on the Roanoke river. A gang of men tried to steal their horses. William said he would never forget that when the men surrounded them on the Allen’s Creek bridge over the Roanoke, his horse got spooked. The men had taken up planks in the middle of the bridge, but his horse leaped over the large gap, causing both William and his horse to escape from the gang. I don’t know the year of the event. But William would have only been a young boy, possible a young teenager. Based on the age given in this deposition and the 1850 Census, William would have been nine years old in 1776.
I’m curious what school William Jones and John Carroll went to. I wonder if they boarded at a school in a private home, or if they visited an actual school each day. I also wonder what area William considered his neighborhood. As an adult he lived just north of Nellie Jones Rd, a rural farming area in present day Bracey, VA.
Taylors Ferry info from Reg Cook: Taylors Ferry is due south of and presently accessed from Boydton, across Jefferson St. extended, at the old Randolph Macon College. Historical Marker is on new Rt. 58, just North. Believe Ferry date was ca. 1746, There was a Tri County “Powder Magazine” at “Banks Old Store”
Note: This William B. Jones was son of William Jones, and father of Zachariah and James B. Jones, of the Great Creek area.
State of Virginia
Mecklenburg County
On this 17th day of June one thousand eight hundred and fifty three William B Jones who is a credible witness aged Eighty Six years old personally appeared before the Subscriber an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid who being duly sworn according to Law makes the following affidavet_That he was well acquainted with John Carroll during before and during the Revolutionary wars that they lived in the Same neighbourhood and went to the Same School_That John Carroll enlisted and went into the Services and Served a considerable Length of time_ But how long he does not recollect But he very distinctly recollects that this deponants Brother with Several others went into the Services together and this deponant further sayeth that his John Jones & John Carroll with Several others had orders to report to Calis ferry on Roan oak which was at that time head quarters that this deponant with several other Lads took horses to assist their friends on their march as fare as Taylors Ferry on Roan oak_that on their return they were way layed by a press gang to take their Horses at Allens Creek Bridge and to make sure of their Horses the planks on the middle of the Bridge were taken up that when the press Surrounded them on the Bridge this deponants horse took fright and Jumpt over the gap and he escaped with the Horse_This circumstance with many others made an impression on his made that he should recollect as long as he lives and enables him to say positively that he Knows of his own Knowledge that John Carroll was a Soldier of the Revolution went into the Service and Served But how long he cannot say But his Impression is that her served a considerable Length of time and he further sayeth that he was acquainted with Ann Crowder the wife of John Carroll before and after their marriage that he heard it reported that they were to be married and afterwards heard they were married and never heard it doubted nor disputed And he believes they lived together as man and wife to the day of his death_he further says that he has no means of asertaining the time of the death of John Carroll_ But think it was about twenty years ago or their abouts as near as he can recollect_he further sayeth that he left his wife a widow and she remained a widow to the day of her death and to the best of his recollection she had[was?] a widow ten or twelve years after the death of her husband_he further sayeth that after John Carroll returned from the Services at the Close of the war_he engaged in overseeing for severall years for Some of the wealthy farmers on Roan Oak for several years before he married that as well as he now recollects the marriage took place about four or five years after the Close of the war_he further Sayeth That Nancy Patterson, the present applicant for the amount of the pension that was due her father John Carroll her father and Ann Carroll her mother for Services Rendered by her father during the Revolutionary war is the Identical person she represents herself to be in her Declaration_The daughter of John Carol Carroll & Ann Carroll who were raised and lived in Mecklenburge County and State of Virginia untill after the war and there removed to Warren County North Carolina and died there
Sworn to and Subscribed before me the year and day first above written
William B. Jones
W. T. Pennington J.P.
Virginia to wit
I Richard B Baptist Clerk of the County Court Mecklenburg County and State of Virginia do herby certify that _Wm T Pennington who has signed his name to the above affidavit is and was at the time of Signing the Same an acting Justice of the peace in and for Said County, duly commis-joined Commissioned and qualified according to Law
[seal covered] In testimony whereof I have Set my hand and affixed the the Seal of the Court at offices the 20th June 1853
Richd. B. Baptist
Mecklenburg, Virginia Community History 